Student Senate met Wednesday to discuss a bill requiring CPR certification for resident assistants and senior resident assistants.
The bill also included the installation of automated external defibrillators, or AED, machines in resident laundry rooms.
Residence Life Commissioner Mae Thomas is the primary sponsor, and she had several senators on her commission assist in the composition of this bill.
Thomas said she had the idea after learning that RAs and SRAs couldn't touch students in times of emergency; they are only permitted to call 911.
"All (RAs) can do is call 911 and wait for medical assistance to arrive, which can take as long as 10 minutes," Thomas said.
Thomas also gave senate statistics about young adults experiencing cardiac arrest and survey information from Ohio University students to gauge campus need for this bill.
"More than 2,000 cardiac arrests happen in young adults in the United States that are fatal. Survival rates decreased by 10% with every minute without assistance," Thomas said.
Following Thomas' brief explanation of the bill, each senator who collaborated on it also presented their case to vote in favor.
Residence Life Senator Ruben Lopez presented the survey results, which showed a 96% support rate from those who took the survey.
"A CPR certification ensures the RAs are prepared for emergencies, as RAs are highly responsible for the safety and well-being of residents," Lopez said. "Having CPR training allows them to quickly assess and respond to cardiac arrest, choking or other life-threatening situations."
Thomas also addressed concerns about having AED machines in the laundry rooms instead of in each residence hall.
"The original plan was to admit an AED in every residence hall on campus, but that did not seem to be the most cost-effective," Thomas said.
Before discussing the bill, the Senate received a presentation from OU 4 Paws, which is a non-profit organization that aids with the training of service dogs for children and veterans in need.
"Our main thing we like to do is help socialize and get the basic obedience for service dogs in training," Josie Clark, president of OU 4 Paws, said. "We also help our members get trained."
In other business, the Senate also passed several resolutions welcoming new senators in academic affairs and the environmental affairs commissions.
Two budget resolutions passed as well. The first was a replenishment of office supplies in the Student Senate office located in Baker for nearly $61. The second was for the Senate's annual summit; any leftover funds not used during the summit will be reallocated in the Senate's budget.
